Hiram brown



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HIRAM BROWN, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 81,834, dated August 25, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BXGAVATUBS,

itin tlgehul: refont in in time Eaters @sont mit making part nf tige time T0.ALL WHOM IT MAY GONCERN:

Be it known that I, HIRAM BROWN, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Irhprovements in Excavators for removing earth or other substances, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which.

Figure l, sheet 1, represents a side elevation.

Figure 2, sheet 2, a. plan or top vien'.

Figure 3, sheet 3, a transverse' section on the line A Z of iig. 1 or 2.

Figures 4 and 5, on sheet 4. represent each a top view of the jointed double scoop or excavating-device, the former as closed, and the latter as opened.

Figures 6 and 7, on sheet 3, represent each an end view ofthe double scoop, the former, which is shown as closed'together, and elevated. as when filled and ready to discharge its load, and the latter opened and in position to scoop up earth, or load itself by being drawn together, and then upward, it being in its present position shown as partly embedded, or sunk, or driven into the ground, to be iilied or loaded by drawing the two parts or scoops together, as shown in fig. 6. A i

Figure 8 is' a side view of the arms G in iig. 6, and the rod H, which connects them.

Figure 9, a bottom view ofthe excavator.

This invention relates to that kind of excavator or apparatus used for removing earth, which is called self-loading or self-filling, and has for its object to avoid the necessity of shovelling to fill the excavator, or an unnecessary expenditure oi' power to cause it to fill or load itself. v

In constructing my invention, the jointed double scoop or excavator is made in two parts, A. A being the ends, and B B the curved sides, 'which have each a projecting ange or lip, at, at the top for opening the apparatus. A v

Curved arms C are secured to 4the upper and inner or adjoining portions of the ends A, and extend upward and outward, as shown. These arms aro jointed together by a shaft or rod, D, which passes through the arms, and are secured by nuts m, screwed on to the ends of the rod, thus forming a hinge or joint, ou which the double scoop is closed or opened.

To the lower edge of each of the curved sides B, whiclrdo not extend to the bottom, teeth or prongs lare secured, to facilitate the filling action of t'lxc excavator, when the' parts are drawn together, and to prevent any dicu-lty caused by stones or cobbles n'iich'might come in the Way.

To lift and close theV double scoop or excavator, a yoke, E, is sometimes employed, the curved arms, 7c, of which, or a roller, g, on cach ci' said arms, engages with the under sides of the arms C, to lift or draw the latter arms together, close thp excavator, and draw it upward. s

A curved plate, F, secured to the ends of the armsk, outside of the arms C, retains theyoke on the latter arms. Instead of the yoke E for lifting and operating the' excavator, I sometimes employ additional arms, G, which are jointed or pivotcti to the outer ends of the arms C, and jointed or hinged at their top ends by a rod or shaft, H, which' extends from one pair of such arms to the other, und through thcirends, where it is secured by nuts z. y

Connecting orv hoisting-rings a. riso from the tops ofthe yokes E, and similar rings from the top of the rod H, and the hoisting or elevating-apparatus connects with said rings. I I

This improved self-loading excavator may be operated by a windlass, or any other suitable machinery or apparatus, where power can be applied, by hand, or by a steam-engine, or other motive-power, and according to the nature or the kind of Work to be done.

To illustrate one method of operating this excavator, a suitable framework may be constructed with posts I, connected and supported by braces J, beams K, and cross-girts L, all well fastened together. On the tops of the beams K, rails or rods, b, are arranged and secured, and a carriage is placed on these rails. The wheels M :we grooved to keep them on the rails. Longitudinai girts N extend from one axle, O, of the carriage to side, pass between those on theiother.

v substantially asdescribed, and1 for the purpose specified.

the o ther,where lthey are wellfastencd. A grooved chain-wheel, P, is arranged to rotate in bearings R, above f vthegirts N, and said chain-wheel comes between the two gir-ts. On one end of the-chain-wheel shaft a ratchetwheel. 3, is firmly fastened, and a pawl, d, pivoted to one of tho girts N, cngag'ies with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.- v

A,spring, 4, attached to thelower end e of the pawl, and to the girt N, holds the upper ond of thepawl in contact with the/teeth of the wheel 3.

A hanger, S,' depends from cach 'of the girts N, and the lower end of cach hanger is turned inward, forming a lip or projection, ve, for' opening Aand suspending the excavator, as seen in figs. 1 and 3, the lip e engaging with the flange n on the top edge of each of the curved sides of the excavator, lto open the latter by allowing its entire weight to bear on the above-described suspending and opening-devices.

Ono end of a'chain, or a rope, T, is connected with the top of the yoke E, or to the rings a of the same, `or such rings on the rod H which connects the arms G, Said chain passes over the wheel P, and. downward to the windlass U, which is intended f or hoisting the excavator. This windlass is geared to a. crank-shaftabove it, arranged and provided with a crank, V, for operating tho windlass to hoist the excavator.:

When the excavator is elevated and ready for'operation, it is retained in that position, as clearly shown in figs. 1 and 3, by the hangers S, as before described, and curved springs f hook over the ends of one or more of the arms C, to prevent the excavator closing when released from the hangers.

This releasing fof the'excavator, so as to allow it to fall or b'c'lowered,is effected after slacking the' hoisting chain, ,by hauling on the squaring-lines W, connected with some part of the excavator. l

This hauling action, in two different directions torsionally, releases the excavator from the lower projections e,and it falls to the ground ready tothe drawn together'to fill or load itself, and about as shownin iig, 7. The windlass, or other hoisting-device orapparatus, is then brought into-action, and the arms C drawn together, and the excavator filled and hoisted to the desired height, when thc carriage may be run in either direction on the rails to and over a caror cart, or'a cart or wagon may be backed or drawn under the filled excavator,

to receive the contents taken hp by the same. f

To discharge'the'contents of the excavator, the lips or projections e` and n are brought tbgether, as shown, and the chain T slaekened by tripping the pawl o l, 'and by turning back the windlass, the excavator will then open, as shown in iig. 8, and discharge its-loadinto any cart or car beneath it.

The pawld is tripped or disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 3, by a. cord or line, ,Y, attached to the lower end c of the pawl, and leading to some convenient place for operating.

lThis improved excavator may be used with a derrick, ona swinging boom, or on any hoisting-device used on a car or other wheel vehicle, or-on a floating scow or boat, for excavating in docks or harbors, and beneath the surface'oi' water; and when used as last described, the curved sides B may extend to the bottom of each part of the excavator, and leave no -great opening, Z, as between V Vin iig. 9, where the prongs l, on one The .beams K may be extended to any reasonable length, and by detaching the'chainfrom the l windlass,

or lhy disconnecting said chain somewhere between thewindlass and they chain-whee1P ,`tlie vcarriage o n the i tops of the beam's K maybe run agrehtcr distance with the loaded excavator, as'where earth is removed on the borders of a railroad, and on dumping-cars, runningon transverse tracks, elevated abov'e and extending from over` therogular track, or ,a side-track, to' s ome distance from freight-cars set'on the sido or other track., to 'receive the earthy substance from the car on the transverse track,

Here my improved excavator would take the place of the dumping-car" on the transverse track, which may be'repiesented by the rods'or rails 6, and the beams K, and no shovelling need be performed to lloadjhe excavator, and remove the earthy substancovto tho transportingcarsf` Having fully described my inventiomits nature and its uses, what I claim, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is f v v c The scoops A. B, with the lips n, in combination with the arms lGr and yoke E, when used. in connection with the movable carriage, with hangers S and wheel P, ratchet 3 and pawl d, all constructed and arranged HIRAM BROWN.

.Witnessem i I Jeux E. CRANE,

H. A. Kxrraaneia. 

